Back to the past
by dirtydancinfan
Summary: Chapter 9 added 09/08/2009 Baby & Johnny haven't seen each other in 22 years. This story is going to reflect what happened to each of them and it helps them discover things that they never knew. Please read and review. Check out my hairspray stories too
1. Chapter 1

_Most girls spend their lives either chasing after someone that they just can't have or not knowing that the person they need is right in front of them. They dream about their weddings and who the man will be standing next to them. It's always that way for little girls. They love just dreaming of it. The whole art of it. Planning a wedding and planning their lives is the most important thing in a girls life. In the summer of 63 Baby Houseman had that chance to find her one true love. Had the chance to make a life with the man she loved. Except the timing was off. She loved him more than anything in this entire world. But fate and other forces would keep them away from each other. She went on to Mount Holyoke and made a new life for herself. She was happy in her career and content with everything that life had given to her. The only thing she never managed to do was get into another relationship. Her heart belonged to one man. Just like it did all those years ago. The only person she could ever fully give her heart to was Johnny. _

**Summer of 1985: 22 years later **

Twenty-two years had past since she last seen him. Last got to talk to him and tell him how she felt. It was the night of the Kellermans show, a night that she would never forget. There was so much about the summer. So much that changed her. She came into the place looking at the world through rose color glasses. Like no matter what happeneds he could change the world. By the end of the Summer she knew some much different. Being with him changed her too. And she knew that she changed him. She loved the way he spoke to her. The way he made her feel. No one had ever gotten into the depths of her soul like he did. She knew that things couldn't be what she wanted them to be. Her father hated him and they just didn't work well. But she would have done anything to change her families mind. Done anything to make them realize that Johnny's wasn't the person they so longed to believe he was, especially her dad.

Baby sat at the red light honking the horn. She couldn't understand why the traffic was so bad. It was 2 in the afternoon on a Monday. It wasn't rush hour and yet the traffic was terrible. She was already 10 minutes late for the meeting and couldn't call again to tell them she was still stuck in traffic. She honked the horn a few more times, it not doing anything to help the cause.

"Damn it. I'm already late. What the hell else could go wrong?" She groaned out the window.

Road construction was the cause of all the problems and she was not having it. There was a new investor coming to put his two cents, or maybe more like two millions worth of dollars into the company that she helped develop. He was the biggest investor that they were ever roped into accepting but she was excited. Or at least she would have been if she had gotten to the meeting on time. While Baby was studying in Guiana she met this man. A man named Josh. He was making a movie about the life in the Undeveloped country and Baby was there on her Internship. .Josh know that she would be able to help him because she had been there for so long and helped aid him in his tour. After a few hours of trying his hardest to convince her to come along she finally agreed. Opting to take a break from her foreign quest she went along with it. She had gotten the job at Josh Harris' production assistant overseeing all the details that pertained to Guiana.

"I would move that traffic if I could myself." She sighed as she looked down at the phone. "Late again." she thought to herself.

There was always something that she hated about this time of year. Her mind would always drift back to Kellermans and what might have been. She always seemed to lose her grip with reality when she though back. Her chance at real love slipped through her fingers and she did nothing to stop it. She looked at the clock and then focused back on the jam before her.

I_ don't see you fighting so hard baby. I don't see you running up to Daddy telling him I'm your guy_.

How could he think that she didn't want to be with him. That she probably would have given up everything to make him happy. But when the summer was over Johnny told her that it was over.

_"We can't go on pretending like everything in our lives are going to be perfect. You know that as well as I do Baby. Our lives are different. We are different. That fact doesn't change because you fell in love with me. You and I together. We were just a moment kind of thing. Nothing could ever change that fact. We lived in a time that was only for us. A time that was mauled by what other people felt. You need to move on with your life and honestly so do I. I need to figure out what I want out of life. You have college and the rest of your life to find a man that is worthy of you. I'm sorry. I don't love you. I never have. I just wanted to.. I don't love you. You and I are over." _

She couldn't understand how he could walk away from them. Walk away from everything that they shared. She knew she loved him and thought he felt the same but in the end. He used her. Just like her father said he would. She felt for him hard and he took her heart and stomped on it. You promised from that point and time that she would never let anyone hurt her the way he did. That's when she went off to college. Off to pursue something that she knew would never fail her or never hurt her. Her mind focused on majoring in Economics of under developed countries . She had always wanted to go into the peace corp but something changed. She got into her studies and never looked back at that. When she got the chance to go to Guiana she took it. Granted over the last twenty years she didn't think about him all the time but there were points when her mind would drift back to what they had. She had a new life. A new love. Her work was her love and she put herself into it. She had a few relationships along the way but none of them worked out. They just didn't have that spark. She thought back and remembered the first real thing that she spoke to him from her heart.

_I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw. I'm scared of what I did, of who I am. And most of all...I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life, the way I feel when I'm with you. _

The ringing of her car phone snapped her back into reality.

"Hello." She simply sighed listening to the man on the other line. "I'm caught in traffic. It's not my fault. There was no report on the news of road construction. I told you I would be there as soon as I can. It shouldn't be too much longer. I know that the new dance team is supposed to be there and I promise that I will be there soon. Thank you. Bye."

She said quickly as she hung up the bulky machine. "Dance team." She replied to herself.

When she heard those simple words her mind sent her back to a place that she had not thought about in some time. You don't lose your first love but you get on with you life. You can't spend 22 years without love. Without feeling and certainly without giving into something you so longed for.

Sighing again she starts to talk to herself. "I don't know if anyone is listening but if you could please get me to this meeting within the next 15 minutes. I will never think about him. I will lose those memories back and never remember them again." She leaned back running her fingers through her hair. "I am talking to myself. Now I know I am crazy."

As quickly as she said it the traffic started moving at a fairly quick pace. "You have to be kidding me. If I knew that was all I had to say I would have done it 20 minutes ago." She shook her head in disbelief as she passed the newly paved road that was causing so many problems.

The trucks now parked against the side of the street letting the people go through. Driving down the street she put on the radio.

Here is an oldie but good. A blast from the past. A song that men and women tend to canoodle with. Will you still love me tomorrow?

_Tonight you're mine completely You gave your love so sweetly Tonight the light of love is in your eyes But will you love me tomorrow. _

_Is this a lasting treasure?  
Or just a moment's pleasure?  
Can I, can I believe the magic of your sigh?  
Will you still love me tomorrow?  
Quickly her mind flashed back but just as quickly it returned to the road. "Stupid Radio." She grumbled as she turned it off. "I put you in the back of my mind for all of these year and now I am going to do it again. I can't think about you anymore because its over. It's really over.." _


	2. Chapter 2

_You could give your entire heart to someone and still lose everything in the process. The saying goes that if you love something set it free. If it comes back to you then it's meant to be. People think that they are doing the right thing for someone they care about even if it hurts them in the long run. Doing the noble thing one to many times can break you. Limit you down to a pile of absolute nothingness and sadness. You despise the person you have become and despise the fact that you couldn't fight harder for what you believed in. That you couldn't do what you wanted to because you thought, you were doing what was best. You try to move on with your life but are continuously haunted by the memories of that faithful decision. A decision that not only changed your life but the lives of people around you. Memories of what might have been and what should have been._

Johnny Castle stared at the wall clock, hanging above his head, as he waited for the time to pass. He needed to be there on time. There was no if, ands or buts about it. This would change his life forever. A production company flew into town and they heard about him. He received a call asking if he would meet with some of the foreign relations executives to work out a deal about him becoming the Choreographer for their latest project. Johnny jumped at the opportunity. Not since the summer at Kellermans has he been so passionate about something. After that summer he vowed never to go back to the summer resort. To never return to what he could have had. Instead he made a big decision in his life and took his Uncle Paul's job offer and put the dancing on the back burner. Not but a few months ago he took the money he had been saving for all those years and opened up a dance stupid. He finally went back to doing something that he loved with all of his heart and all of his soul. If he couldn't be with her then this was the next best place for him.

_It's like a feeling; a heartbeat_

Whenever he danced, his mind would drift back to her. Back to what they were. The innocence of her is what got to him. The way no matter how hard he tried to shake her. He couldn't. She's stronger than any person that he ever knew and she was so sure about the world.

_The Sheldrake Hotels proudly present Johnny Castle and Partner in Mambo Magic._

It was at the Sheldrake that he realized that he had feelings for her. She put her entire self on the line just to help him out and when she missed the lift, he couldn't help it. He loved her. He really loved her but there was no point in dwelling on that fact. She could never love him back. Not in the same way. Or so he thought.

"Johnny." His head snapped back out of his dream as he saw Billy and Penny standing with two little girls.

"Hi. Uncle Johnny." The younger of the two laughed as she ran over to him hugging his leg.

After that summer at Kellermans Billy and Penny realized that they were more than just good friend. Over the years that friendship just turned into love. Two years later they were married in a ceremony on the beach. After trying for so long to have children it finally happened. Penny got pregnant with Amanda six years ago and then Trisha was born a little over two years ago. They were the perfect family. Johnny envied them because that's what he wanted with Baby. He would have given up everything to make that happen. But that was a different time and a different place. He had to live for the here and now. He had to.

"Are you thinking about her again Johnny?" Penny asked as she looked over at him.

"Yeah." He answered sighing softly.

"Then why did you listen to him? Why did you let her go?" He closed his eyes for a minute thinking about Penny's words.

_"Look Johnny. I know that you weren't the one that got Penny in trouble and I'm sorry for accusing you. It just looked that way. Assumptions can make us look really stupid sometimes. But my daughter is planning on giving up everything to be with you. Do you honestly know what that means? She could be anything she wants Johnny. A doctor, a lawyer but if she doesn't go on to college she is going to be nowhere. I don't know if you plan on supporting her but how are you two going to make it? I mean you can't do it on love alone. And I honestly don't think that you want to be the reason that she loses everything that is most important to her. I know that you care about her but I don't think that its enough to save what she might lose. The life she can have. You know what you have to do. Just find a way to do it."_

Johnny looked back at Penny, his mind drifting back to the present day. "I did what I had to do to make sure she was happy. No matter how much it hurt me and no matter how much I loved her and life would never be the same without her.. I know that she is happy now. I know that she has everything that life could ever offer her. Everything that she deserved. So whatever the cost to me it was well worth it to make sure that she would be okay." He shrugged quickly trying to somehow change the subject. "I should really be going. My meeting is at three and I don't want to be late to talk to these people. It might be the break of a lifetime."

He nodded as he leaned down kissing the two young ones on the cheek. "When I found out anything I will give you two a call. You girls be good for your mom and dad. Just lock up before you leave." He grumbled as he walked out.

After Kellermans Johnny moved on with his life. He thought about her but after time went by he met this women and fell in love. They were married about a year after they met and he planned on spending the rest of his life with her. As time went by though they grew apart. They learned that they more obstacles to overcome then any relationship should have to handle. The marriage ended in an divorce and a little girl named Jessica. Johnny was a dad and after the dissolve of his marriage he spent a lot of time taking care of her. Being the best father that he could. Now at 19 years old that little girl that he loved was married and was about to have a baby of her own. Johnny was about to become a grandfather. Life was so much different then he ever dreamed it to be.

That made him think about to Baby. He never met anyone like her. No one that stole his heart like she did. No one that actually make him feel loved. No one that would do what she did for him.

_No one has ever done anything like that for me. _

He thought back softly. "How could I do that to her? How could I let her go?"

_I don't love you. I never did. You need to move on with your life and stop pretending that we actually had something._

He knew it was all a lie and deep down inside he hoped that she knew that but from the look on her face he could tell her broke her heart. It broke his heart too. He needed to make it seem as though he used her. She asked him once if he had a lot a women and by the end of the conversation she believed that he used those women he took to bed. He tried to deny and she believe it but he hoped now that he would be able to make her see that. He saw the look in her eyes and he knew his plan had worked.

Johnny loved her. He planned on starting a family with her. Being with her. Before her father caught him that night when he was planning to see her he was going to ask her to marry him. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her proving just how much he loved her. She made a difference in his life. Somehow she made him better even though all she wanted was to be set free. The first time they made love it was like no one else was in the room. Just them. Two hearts beating together. And maybe it was because of the show or because of all the excitement and worry over Penny. But that night was all about them. For the first time he left himself give into the feelings that he had for her. He let his body become one with hers and this time he knew it wasn't her using him. She wasn't stuffing diamonds in his pocket. She was here because she needed him just as much as he needed her.

He climbed into the car and started it up. He didn't want to be late no matter what happened. This was a chance of his life and he wanted to make the best of it. Driving down the highway he groaned over the quietness that the car produced. His fingers slipped over the radio as he turned it on. Finally finding a station that he had something in common with he stopped.

_Tonight you're mine completely_

_You gave your love so sweetly_

_Tonight the light of love is in your eyes_

_But will you love me tomorrow._

_Is this a lasting treasure?_

_Or just a moment's pleasure?_

_Can I, can I believe the magic of your sigh?_

_Will you still love me tomorrow?_

He couldn't believe it was that song. He had not heard it in years. The song that played while he told her his dream, while she was lying in his arms.. A dream he never thought that he would have. A dream that he just couldn't shake.

_You want to hear something crazy?... Last night I dreamt that we were walking along and we met you father and he said "come on" and put his arm around me just like he did with Robbie._

He shook his head out of it as he heard a car horn. The light had turned green and he didn't realize it. He pulled out and continued on his way. "Its over between you two and you need to accept that. You need to stop it right now. Your relationship with Baby is over and has been for a long time."


	3. Chapter 3

_She's like the wind through my tree_

_She rides the night next to me_

_She leads me through moonlight_

_Only to burn me with the sun_

_She's taken my heart_

_But she doesn't know what she's done_

_Feel her breath on my face_

_Her body close to me_

_Can't look in her eyes_

_She's out of my league_

_Just a fool to believe_

_I have anything she needs_

_She's like the wind _

She walked into the office apologizing like no tomorrow. "I'm sorry. You know the traffic around here. Road Crews, Bridge construction, you are always running into something around these parts. I hope I am not late." She smiled as her boss Rob looked at her, giving her the look that helped her know that she was right on time. She ran her fingers through her hair and took her seat. Looking around the room she saw all the different dance names, dance moves and it took her back. Back to that place.

_Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you. _

"Kellerman's." She managed to whisper out softly as she snapped out of her dream and looked around. The client was about to come in and here she was dreaming about the past.

"Frances, you know this is a huge client, if you are not feeling up to be here then you can go home." Rob whispered to her. "I'm fine. Thank you though. Just had a bad morning. Bad trip here." She sighed softly.

Johnny looked up at the build. It was huge. Was he really going to be getting himself involved in something like this. He knew that building, in a tiny room on the 14th floor these executives were deciding his fate. This contract was so important to him. It meant so much to him. He knew that all of his hard work would pay off if this just went through. He paced slowly knowing that it was all up to whatever was going on in that room.

_Little wimp. He wouldn't know a new idea if it hit him in the pachenga... _

"Pachenga" He couldn't help but repeat to himself with a laugh. If you would have told him that summer that we would be standing right here. Right now. Waiting for something like this, he would have told you that you were crazy. He watched as one of this partners came walking through. "We have the account, they just want to meet you." She smiled as she pulled him though. "They loved everything about it. Everything and they want to work with us." She jumped into his arms and hugged him. "Come on we need to get up there." She pulled him into the elevator. He couldn't help but smile. He wanted to scream from the roof tops but he knew that he had to be calm. Just until he got done meeting the people. Once they were off the elevator they walked into a small room where they waited.

Baby smoothed her skirt as she got up from the desk. She was impressed with the moves, impressed with the music. When it came down to it she was the deciding vote. "Now Frances, after you meet the rest of them you are more than welcome to change your mind." Rob looked at her. "We are not holding you to this decision." He continued as they walked into the room. The girl they had meet before was standing towards them and a man was looking out the window. ""I would like you to meet my partner..." She started as he turned out.

"Johnny." Baby cried out as there eyes locked.


	4. Chapter 4

_That was the summer of 1963 - when everybody called me Baby, and it didn't occur to me to mind. That was before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles came, when I couldn't wait to join the Peace Corps, and I thought I'd never find a guy as great as my dad. That was the summer we went to Kellerman's. _

It hit her like a ton of bricks and she was sweating unsure what she was going to say, or how the words would come out of her mouth. It had been years since she had seen him and sadly all the thought she put into what she would say if they finally saw each other again seemed to slip from her train of thought. He was standing there before her, his looks hadn't changed, Still the same man that she met and fell in love with all those years ago.

"Johnny." She spoke softly once again. Not sure why she had said it again, but simple did it because she wanted to make sure it was real. There he was standing there before her. She smoothed down her skirt trying to move her gaze from him, but was failing miserably. She sighed a bit not really sure what to say but knowing deep down that she needed to say something.

"How are you?" She forced a smile on her face, hoping that he couldn't see the look of almost fear in her eyes.

"Fine." His voice seemed to trail off with that little statement and she could tell he was feeling the same way. "Yourself?"

She couldn't help but leave a small laugh come off her lips. "Fine. Long time no see." It was almost bittersweet but was something that needed to be said.

His eyes looked her over just watching her. She had not changed at all. Still the absolutely beautiful women that he was with all those years ago. Slightly aged a bit but as breathtaking as she was back then. His eyes looked over her slowly admiring every part of her. Admiring the life that she had made for herself. It was at that point he knew that he had the right decision. Just seeing her though brought back all those memories. All those feeling came rushing back like they had never left. She was beautiful.

"It has been a really long time. You look great." He smiled softly.

He leaned into hug her, his arms slipping around her gently, her fingers sliding somewhat over his belt. There bodies seeming to melt together like nothing had changed, like it was all those years ago. His heart started to skip a beat and he could swear that he felt hers beating in the same crazy time as his. He took a long deep breath smelling her shampoo. It was almost the same smell, the one he smelt whenever they made love.

_Look, you've gotta understand what its like baby, you come from the streets and suddenly your up here, and these women are throwing themselves at ya, and they smell so good, and they really take care of themselves,_

_I mean I never knew women could be like that, you know? And their so rich, they're so goddam rich, you think they must know about everything. And they're slipping their room keys in my hands, two and three times day, different women. So here I think I'm scoring big and for a while you think hey they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't care about me, right._

His head seemingly snapped out of the memory and back to the present. He was holding her in his arms and he was not sure if he ever wanted to let go. His mind was so focused on her that he forgot that there was anyone else in the room.

"I guess you two know each other." Shannon, Johnny partner asked as that snapped them both into reality.

"We do." He nodded. "We knew each other a long time ago. Just been a long time since we have seen each other."

"Well then I guess this is going to made the expierence a lot easier. Since you guys know each other. That would be great." Shannon smiled her arm grabbing Johnny's.

"It really will. Let me get all the paperwork drawn up and stuff like and then we will be able to get started. " Baby nodded. Her eyes locked on him for a minute. He looked the same, smiled the same. Nothing about him had changed. She has spent years trying to figure out what she would say to him and now that it was here, all she could think about was business matters. "I will get them taken care of right now." She smiled a bit.

The door opened and the receptionist came in the room. "Frances, you have a phone call." She spoke softly.

"Can you please tell whoever it is I will call them back. I am working on business matters?" Baby questioned.

"They said this couldn't wait. It's your daughter."


	5. Chapter 5

Baby quickly got up and went to the other room taking the phone call. "Honey just put the food in the fridge. I will be home a little late tonight. I am working a few extra hours because we just took a new client on. I know. Thank you. I will see you when I get home." Baby hung up the phone and walked back into the room. She found Johnny there looking out the window. He was all alone looking out on the world below. She took in a long look at him. Her heart was happy to see him but deep down inside she knew that at some point and time questions were going to come up. Those questions that she was not sure she could answer right then and there. "Where did everyone go?" She asked quietly.

"Shannon had to get back to the airport, she was only here for the day. And your boss had to take a phone call." He nodded "So you have a daughter?" He asked.

"I do. What about you? Any kids?" She looked at him. She knew that he didn't spend his entire life pinning over her, even if that was something that she had done. No matter how hard she tried not to say she did. At that point she finally accepted it.

"I have a daughter as well. Her name is Jessica. She is going to have a baby in a couple of months." He nodded.

"A grandfather?" She chuckled a bit. "Johnny Castle is going to be a grandfather. What about your wife? She didn't come with you." Baby questioned.

"I'm divorced. It just didn't work out in the long run of it. Guess you can't make something work that isn't supposed to right? What about you? " He asked.

"Not married, never have been. I guess it was never meant to be.." She spoke out.

"Oh. I just thought that since you had a child, you would have been married." He nodded. "Please don't take that offensively or anything like that."

"No its fine. Most people ask me the same thing all the time. I guess you can say it just didn't work out between me and her father. A lot of stuff happened. He doesn't know about her. I don't think he would really be concerned about having a child." She shrugged a bit trying to quickly get away from the subject. "So are you living around here?"

He looked at her a minute listening to the words that she spoke. That didn't sound like her at all. Something was definitely not right about that but he was not going to push her. It had been years since he had seen her and pushing her into that might cause her to never speak to him again.. "Not to far. I fly around a lot. Look at you though. This big executive. Its really great. And I am happy for you."

"Thank you. I am really happy for you too. I mean look at everything you have accomplished its awesome. I am really happy for you. You deserve all of this. Everything that you are getting." Baby smiled at him softly unsure of what else to say at this point. "You really made a great life for yourself."

_You know something Baby. When I first met you I thought that you were this, stuck up, know it all, whose parents controlled her life. Like you were a spoiled brat that did nothing wrong in your parents eyes. But now that I got to meet you, got to know you, I was wrong. Everything I thought about you was wrong and honestly I am sorry for making the judgement on you before I ever met you. You are crazy and spontaneous and you have a love for life that no one could ever match, I hope that you never lose sight of that. Because with you in this world, things are going to change. You can change them._ _You changed me. You made me a better person then I ever thought that I could be. I hope you know that_. _And I hope that someday our kids will grow up and be just like that_

"Our kids." He spoke out softly not really realizing what he just said.

"Did you say something Johnny?" She heard him and swallow a bit, her heart quickly picking up..

_I'm gonna do my kind of dancin' with a great partner, who's not only a terrific dancer; somebody who's taught me that there are people willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs them; somebody who's taught me about the kind of person I wanna be. _

"No sorry. Just in la l a land." He nodded. "So how old is your daughter? What's her name?"

She swallowed hard. "Umm. She is 21, just turned 21 a few weeks ago. She is a junior at U.S.C., majoring in Dance. " She really wanted to get off the subject. Usually she didn't mind having conversations about her daughter but this time it was different. "Jennifer, her name is Jennifer."

"In dance. She must get that from you." He laughed a little bit. "Dance. That is great."

"She must. So what about..." Her thought were interrupted when a young girl came through the door. Her hair was long and black, with a hint of blonde strike running through it. Her smile was so familiar to him. He had a seen it before a million times.

"Mom, I am sorry. I came down here. I wanted to bring you dinner." Johnny looked at the girl and saw himself inside her.

_I guess you can say it just didn't work out between me and her father. A lot of stuff happened. He doesn't know about her. I don't think he would really be concerned about having a child._

He looked at her. The way she stood, the way her eyes looked. _21_, he thought to himself. _21_.

"Oh my god." He blurted out.


	6. Chapter 6

_A million things started running through his head. There is no way she could be mine, no way at all. Baby would never have done this to me. She would have never kept me from my daughter, my own flesh and blood. She wouldn't hurt me like that. Not that Baby that I know, not the baby that I loved. If she was mine she would have found me and told me the truth. We would have been together. There is no way that she is mine. He thought to himself trying to convince himself that she would never lie to him._

He looked into her eyes and then over at Baby. He saw the look in her eyes and knew that his suspicion was right. Twenty one years old. That would have made her pregnant right around the time that she left Keller man's. But what reason would she have to keep him away from his daughter. What right did she have? He looked over at her picked up his jacket and walked right out the door.

She knew the secret was out. Her daughter looked just like him in ever way. After all these years of trying to keep the truth from him, it came out. Not that way she wanted it to but it came out. She excused herself from the conversation with a simple work excuse. She chased after him. "Johnny."

He turned around looking at her, his eyes filled with rage, his heart completely broken into two million pieces. He didn't know what to say but he sure knew how he felt. "Didn't want her huh? Her father knows nothing about her right Baby? He didn't get to know because you decided to keep her away from him." He glared at her.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" She practically begged him as an office full of people began to look at them. "Please?" She pleaded.

"There is nothing to talk about Francis. Not a thing at all. You did this, not me." He scoffed as he walked into the elevator.

She sighed and ran down the steps meeting him at the elevator door as it opened. "There is a lot that we need to talk about."

He looked at her. "Just answer me this. Is she my mine?" He looked at her already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from her.

Baby looked at him with tears in her eyes nodding simple. "Please listen to me?"

"Listen to you. A lot we need to talk about? We could have done this twenty one years ago. TWENTY ONE YEARS. Don't you understand what you have done? What right did you have to keep her away from me? You chose this and you didn't consider my feelings or how I might feel. You took it upon yourself to make decisions about thing... How could you?"

"I was scared. I was young. Everything in my life was changing so quickly. One minute I was getting ready to go off to college and the next I was having a baby with a man that didn't speak to me in months. You want to ask me why I did it. I figured that your life and your career was a lot more important then I child. I tried to find you. I did. But every road that I took lead me to a dead path. I screwed up. I know I did. But deep down inside I did what was best for my daughter." She looked at him.

Johnny shook his head, his fist clenched. "You did what you thought was best for you. You didn't care about anyone's feelings but yourself. You didn't want you stupid snotty friends to find out that you got knocked up by a street kid. "He hated saying it that way but he was hurt and upset and angry as hell."You didn't want to ruin your perfect little image, I am surprised you didn't sleep with one of them try and pass her off as one of the guys from your college or the damn country club."

She knew he was upset and had every right to be but she was not going to stand there and let him talk to her like that. She raised her hand up and slapped him across the face.

He rubbed his cheek slowly looking at her.. "You think you think you have the right to make decisions about everything and everyone. You kept her out of my life and me out of hers. Not only did you change my life but you changed hers as well." He walked away.

The young girl stood there looking at her mom. "That is my father. You lied to me mom. That is my father." She cried as she ran out of the door. Baby tried to go after her but it was to late. She was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Sometimes we make terrible decisions based on things we think are for the best reasons. Decisions that can simply change the course of time all with one world. Even when we think they are in the best intentions for everyone involved, they not only hurt people that we care about but cause more pain and suffering than if the truth would have come out in the first place. You can't always be sure of the decision that you make. Sometimes they are for selfish reasons and sometimes they are for the right ones. You have to pick and choice your battles and hope for the best in the long run. **_

_No, I mean the way he saved her. I mean, I... I could never do anything like that. That was somethin'. The reason people treat me like I'm nothin' is 'cause I'm nothin'. _

He never thought, in a million years, that things could turn so sour so quickly. Just an hour ago he was happy about the new adventure in his life and now he was left wondering where to go from here. Wondering what he should do. This entire thing wasn't something that was small. Wasn't something that could be fixed with a band-aid or a kiss on the knee. This was real life. His life. A life he was never given the option to be apart of.

_Fight harder huh? I don't see you fighting so hard baby, I don't see you running up to Daddy telling him I'm your guy."_

He walked down the street questioning every choice he made in his life. It could have all been different. He sighed a bit not letting himself go back. He couldn't change the hands of time and dwelling on it wouldn't work either. He had another daughter. Jessica had a sister. A sister that she never met. Everything about this whole situation seemed so damn unfair.

_"I don't think that you have any intention of telling him. Ever."_

For twenty-one years he missed out on the life of a daughter that was his. Her first smile, her first tooth, the first word she said, her first step she took, Kindergarten, her prom, graduation. He missed it all. Did she ever ask about him, wonder why he left her? If he wanted her. He could only imagine what lies Baby told to her.

_"So What's wrong? What's the matter with her?_

_She's knocked up Baby._

_Billy!_

_What's he gonna do about it?_

_What's he gonna do about it?_

_Oh It's mine right?_

_Right away you think it's mine."_

That was how this entire thing started, how everything seemed to just go around full circle. She questioned the baby that Penny was carrying. Baby decided as soon as she heard that Penny was pregnant it was his fault. That he did it. This time it was different though. This time she actually was his. This time he could have done something about it. Could have been a part of her life. He continued his way down the street trying to think of all the things that he could except for what he was feeling right now. He wanted to put it in the back of his mind. He wanted to hop on a plane and go back home. But could he do that?

_Look, you've gotta understand what its like baby, you come from the streets and suddenly your up here, and these women are throwing themselves at ya, and they smell so good, and they really take care of themselves, I mean I never knew women could be like that, you know? And their so rich, they're so goddam rich, you think they must know about everything. And they're slipping their room keys in my hands, two and three times day, different women. So here I think I'm scoring big and for a while you think hey they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't care about me, right._

He ran his fingers in his hair as the thoughts went through his head. He slowly walked into the doors of the hotel when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Baby, if you are coming to talk to me then you need..." He stopped turning around to see the same younger girl he saw back at the office, her eyes tears stained. He finally got a good look at her and really saw himself in her. She was his no doubts about it.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I just. I mean." Her voice was shaking unsure of anything that she said as they slowly made their way into the lobby taking a seat on the couches. "I needed to find out the truth." She sighed softly. "I needed to know for me." She looked at him.

"My name is Jennifer. Jennifer Marjorie Houseman. I'm twenty one but I think you know that already. Um I guess." It was so hard for her to say but she looked just like him. "You must be my father. My mom didn't tell my much about you just said that you were this great guy that she met and fell in love with but your lives were to different, to complicated. She didn't hate you. Didn't blame you for anything that happened. She just didn't really talk about you that much." She nodded a bit. "I graduated top of my class in high school. I was valedictorian, studied dance. I guess I get that from you." She looked at him and continued wanting to tell him stuff about her. "I don't know what more to say. Actually I don't know what to feel right now. This, is all just so damn quick and it seems like everything is just falling apart in my life and there is nothing that I can do about it." She sighed. "Nothing at all."

"You don't have to explain anything to me. None of this is your fault. I never knew and I wish that I did because things could have been different. I swear they would have. I would have been a father to you and I would have made things.." He watched for a minute picking the skin from around his nails. "My name is Johnny. Johnny Castle. I met your mom at Kellerman's." He stopped his mind just trailing off.

_Don't you tell me what to see! I see someone in front of me who got his partner in trouble and sent her off to some butcher, while he moved on to an innocent young girl like my daughter!_

_Yeah, I guess that's what you would see. _

"It seems like ages ago now. Seems like everything has just been from a different time and place."

"I know that my mom made a lot of mistakes and she.. I am so upset with her but .." She sighed unable to make excuses for her. "She makes decisions without thinking, without knowing what she is actually doing and how it can hurt people in the long run. I'm the same way though and that is something that I don't think will ever change." She watched him.

"Tell me more about you? What is your life like?" She smiled a bit.

"About me? There isn't that much about me. I came here because I was looking for something new. I have been dancing most of my life so I guess that is probably were you get that from. Um.. I have a daughter. Her name is Jessica. She is 19 and about to have a child of her own." He nodded a bit.

"I have a sister?" Jennifer smiled. "Wow a sister. You are married to her mom." She asked.

"We got divorced a few years ago. It was something that we both felt for the best." As crazy as this sounded just knowing her in the few minutes that he did it felt like he knew her his entire life. "We are friends. Just the whole marriage thing didn't work for us." He watched her smiling. "I look at you and I see me. All of me inside you. And then I see your mom. And I see the love... " He took a deep breath. "It's so hard to believe and deep down inside maybe I felt it."

"I wish that things could have been different. I wish that I could have gotten to know you." She nodded. "I hope that... we can get back some of what we lost. I know that we can't go back and we can't change things. But I hope. I hope that we can work on getting to know each other." She wasn't sure why she was so sure about this but somewhere inside her she knew that she wanted to be a part of his life. Wanted him to be a part of hers.

"Join me for dinner tonight. We can talk. I can tell you anything that you need to know. Anything about your family. My friends, my life. Anything that you need to know." He stood up a bit, his knees shaking.

She nodded a bit. "I will meet you around six in the lobby here." She nodded as she got up hugging him.

He hugged her back and as they started to part ways. He saw her standing there.

Authors Note: I probably should have put this in the last chapter. I am sorry for the lack of chapters. I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go with this story. I guess you can say it was an issue of writers block, also my work is kicking my job. Lots of overtime and junk that I do not want to even do. I am going to try and catch up with all of it. I happened to watch the movie the other day and all the ideas came back to my head. Hopefully you have enjoyed the last two chapters and I hope to be out with the next one soon.


	8. Chapter 8

"_Don't tell me you don't love me. Please don't do that to us. Please Johnny."_

He woke up in a cold sweat, his heart was racing, his palms were clammy. _Was this just a really bad dream_? He thought to himself as he looked around the room trying to figure it all out. He was still in the hotel that he went to sleep in, still in the same clothes that he had worn the night before. Everything was real and nothing was ever going to be the same. He sighed softly slowly getting out of the bed, going over to the window and staring out it. How could he have another child? How could the one person that he loved so much lie to him? Deep down inside he knew why but he didn't want to face it.

"I left her." He spoke to himself. "I took the easy way out and I left her." He ran his finger through his hair. "And she didn't tell me about her because that was my punishment. I lost out on everything because I was stupid and I screwed up." He paced around the room his mind wandering back to a simpler time, a better place but his thoughts were quickly snapped back into reality when he heard his phone ring. He was half tempted to let it ring off the hook, but decided against his better judgment and answers it. "Hello?"

"Hey Johnny, it's me. How did everything go?" Penny spoke up on the other line.

He sighed a bit hopefully that she didn't catch it. He wasn't really ready to explain the entire situation. "Everything went great. We got the contract. We start really soon."

"That is great honey. I am so happy for you. Everything is finally going your way." She answered him.

"Yes, finally after all this time." There was a hint of sadness in his voice, one that would be easily caught on by anyone that was listening.

She sensed that something was wrong as soon as he said hello and for some reason he wasn't tell her. "For someone that has everything good going on in his life you sure don't sound happy. So you want to tell me what is going on? Or at you going to make me keep guessing."

"Well let's see. I came here, met the people that I was supposed to, saw Baby again after 21 years, realized that she was pregnant and found out that I have a 21 year old daughter that I never met before and that I never knew existed; and to top that all off I realized that this women that I have spent the last 21 years wondering about is the one that I could have been with all along."

"What?" She questioned as she almost thought she heard the wrong thing. "You have another daughter; since when?"

He sighed softly explaining all of what he knew, right down to almost every detail. "She just decided not to tell me and I don't think she ever planned on telling me. Not ever."

_I don't think you had any intention on telling them; ever._

"Penny I have no idea what to do." He spoke almost asking for her guidance.

"I wish there was something that I could say, or something that I could to fix it. But there is nothing. I just...." She stopped a minute trying to put her words carefully. "You know that she loves you and as bad as this all seems, and as mad as you are, she had a reason for doing it. I'm not defending her but I can't see her doing that just to hurt you. I can't." She sighed softly. "You have to do what is best for you, no one can make the choice for you. I know it is a lot to take in because I still can't believe it myself. But I know you will figure it out."

He nodded to himself as he listened to her. "Yeah I know. I will figure something out. I don't really know how but I will. Thanks for listening to me. I will talk to you soon. I promise." He listened to her say goodbye and hung up the phone.

Baby couldn't help but sigh as she sat on the bed looking over the photos of Jessica growing up. She wiped the tears that had slowly formed on her face. She couldn't believe how much she messed everything up. This wasn't supposed to be like this. It was never supposed to happen this way. She sighed softly one more time as she heard a knock on the door. She put the pictures away and went to do the door, hoping that it was Jessica. She pulled it back quickly. "Johnny."


	9. Chapter 9

Baby looked at him with tears running down her face.

Before you say anything there are some things that I need to say. I can t stand here and pretend that I know how you feel because honestly I can't. All I can say is that I am sorry but I did what I thought was best for everyone involved"

Baby you don't have to go through all of this.. You really don't." Johnny spoke point blank.

She sighs softly. "Yes I do." She nods continuing. "He set me up with this job, got me a place to live and from that point my life changed. He even offered to say he was her dad and marry me all so my parents didn't think any less of me. For the longest time I didn't tell them the truth. I think deep down my mom and my sister knew it but they never said a word. My dad just couldn't understand it all I guess. But when he offered it I couldn't do it. All of a sudden my family came around and we made it through. Johnny I wanted to tell you about her and I even called one day.. And no it was not me trying to get out of telling you the truth. When you left me my entire world fell apart and then a few weeks later I found out I was pregnant. I was scared and I had no idea what I was going to do."

Johnny watched her for a minute and went to cut in but she quickly stopped him.

"No I need to finish. I was starting at Holyoke and then a couple weeks I found out about the baby I got this amazing offer to intern overseas. So I figured if I took it I could figure out everything in that time frame. But when I got there I was sick, really sick. My boss picked up on what was going on quickly and he was great. He helped me out a lot and by time she was born I got the job with the company I work for today."

I guess it was the day of your wedding. Penny answered the phone and said you were busy. I made up some story about how I was looking to find out about dance lessons for my daughter. She let me know all I need to hear, you weren't taking any new students for new classes for the next three weeks. You were getting married that day and were heading out for your honeymoon." She slowly wiped away the tears that had fallen on her face and took a deep breath getting her composure back. "You might not understand why I kept you in the dark but I did what was best. All of this happened for a reason and maybe I don't know what that reason is right now but it happened. I can't take that back. I wish I could but I just can't and I can't keep breathing myself up over it. And I am really sorry and if you never want to speak to me ever again I understand that but I don't want you to take it out on her. She deserves to have a father. She really does. So don't punish her for my mistakes; for the things that I did." She sighs a bit. "And that is really all I needed to say to you."  
Johnny paced around for a minute looking at her. "I know that you didn't do it to spite me or hurt me. I just wish that you would have told me. I wish that I could have had the chance to know her. I missed seeing her first step, her first words. I miss the first days of school and graduation. I missed seeing her go to the prom and driving for the first time. I missed out on these milestones in her life and I know you think that you were doing the right thing, but that is what hurts so much. You knew that I would have been there... "  
Baby looked at him. "Yeah you would dropped your entire life to be with someone that you didn't love just because you knoc..." She started to say before he interupted.  
"How could you ever say that to me? You know that is not like that. It would not have been like that..I can't believe you would think that. I loved you.. You did what you had to do and I did what I had to do. I was given a choice and I tried to do what was right for you. I tried and look what it cost me. It cost me everything that I ever loved.. everything that I ever cared about and a daughter that I never knew existed. 


End file.
